Seeking Smooth
by Bik
Summary: Sequel to ‘Shatters’ where Spike and Anya seek each other out and run into a few familiar faces…
1. Rough Day? Need a Light?

Disclaimer: Most of these characters aren't of my creation. They belong to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy. They are merely my playthings. ;)  
  
Rating: R for violence, character deaths, and some language (mainly R for the character deaths but everything else is pretty mild)  
  
Reviews: Please!  
  
Summary: Sequel to 'Shatters' where Spike and Anya seek each other out and run into a few familiar faces.  
  
A/N: Yes, yes, here's the sequel you guys seemed to want. I hope it won't let you down!  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
~Seeking Smooth~  
  
Chapter One~  
  
Holding a gleaming axe, she stood above him. Part of her face was covered in shadows but he could still make out the frown on it.  
  
"Are you okay?" She asked and held out her hand. When he took it he felt warmth tingle through him and he knew he never wanted to let go.  
  
"Fine," he assured gruffly and took back his hand. "What the hell is that thing?"  
  
"I don't know but whatever it is, it had too many steroids in its Special K as a kid," she complained.  
  
She looked thoughtfully down at her shoes, blonde hair whispering across the worry lines on her delicate face.  
  
"I guess Jupeille had more demon pals than we imagined," he said dumbly to fill the silence between them.  
  
He studied her sad face until she finally looked up at him, eyes glittering with tears in the moonlight.  
  
"Some of the others. I think they." No words came for a moment and then she said softly, "Spike, I just want you to know that."  
  
Lightly she pulled his head to hers and kissed him softly on the lips. Then she pulled back and took his hand looked up at him. She was so beautiful, it almost hurt him to be near her, he wanted her so badly.  
  
"Remember what we agreed. five years from now, we'll come back."  
  
She walked away from him then broke into a run to help her friends. He never got to find out what that kiss meant.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Yes, I bloody well remember, Slayer. You don't have to haunt me about it constantly," Spike mumbled to his shot glass before he emptied its contents into his mouth. His stomach complained from the alcohol-only diet he'd had it on for the past few days. But he ignored it and ran a shaky hand through his disarrayed platinum locks. He was a mess.  
  
So was the room around him. He sat at a bar made in the old basement of a burnt up department store. It had been weeks since he traveled outside of a 25-mile radius of that bar. Not that there was much to see in the area. He wasn't even sure where he was. After his last visit to Sunnydale, that damn town, all he knew was that he had to get out of California. Then after he got out of California, he decided to just leave the country period. His vagabond ways led him to this place, a run-down bar in Scotland. Or maybe Ireland. Or Britain. Possibly Russia. He didn't know. Most of the creatures he encountered were demons who didn't speak the local language anyway.  
  
The small town appealed to Spike because of its remoteness. He didn't want any reminders of the reason he felt so empty and lost. Any of the reasons. In particular, her. It wasn't the phantom girl whose idyllic beauty and mystery haunted his dreams; the girl who was the worst possible match for him so he fell head over heels for her. The Slayer. Buffy.  
  
No, Buffy wasn't the current reason for his torment. He gave up on that dream long ago. Now he knew that while he would always hold a flicker of love for Buffy, even for Drusilla, his mad sire, he only wanted one person. Anya. Spike hit himself every day for letting her leave like that. The old Spike wouldn't have let her go, he told himself.  
  
"If its possible, you look deader than usual," a voice suddenly observed.  
  
Spike looked up at the large, blue bartender in front of him. The bar was for demons and humans alike but mainly demons came. It's not that they would have hurt the humans, it was in a rarely peaceful town, but there just weren't many humans left.  
  
"Something wrong?" the bartender asked.  
  
In Spike's time there, he rarely spoke to the three-eyed bartender named Charlie except to get another round of vodka.  
  
"None of your bloody business," Spike grumbled.  
  
"I'm a bartender, everything's my business," Charlie returned without sounding curt.  
  
Then without meaning to, Spike told Charlie everything. Well, the condensed version of everything. Spike, even with his soul, didn't like to get into sissy things like his feelings and descriptions of the way Anya smiled. But as he spoke, all those feelings and images flooded to him anyway. When he got to the part where he admitted everything to a stranger that was shining shot glasses while he listened, Spike stopped. Charlie blinked at him, each eye at a different pace.  
  
"So find her," Charlie said simply.  
  
Spike looked at him in disbelief. "Oh yeah, that'll be easy."  
  
Charlie shrugged and replied, "You have an eternity to find her. Either that or an eternity to live without her."  
  
Spike wasn't sure if he mentioned if they would meet again in five years. But the poetic part of his soul whispered of how those five years would seem like an eternity without her.  
  
That next night, after thanking Charlie for the wake-up call and warming his pale cheeks, Spike boarded one of the few remaining passenger planes and headed towards America. He had no idea where to find Anya.  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
"And then, I found him with his secretary!" The women cried and then sobbed violently.  
  
"There, there," Anya said dully, patting the woman's back and putting on her rehearsed concern face. 'Why won't this woman just make her wish already?' she wondered as the woman still cried beside her.  
  
Anya hated when her clients cried. Whenever they cried, she almost cried. Two women sobbing together but not caring about the other, it was especially bad in public places like the musty bar they sat in. And for these times, it was a pretty crowded bar. She was in New York City or at least what remained of it. The world had been developing rapidly recently. Cities that were once grand now grew and thrived again. Of course, these days a population of a thousand people was considered thriving. Not to mention the few demons that stocked every town.  
  
With a yawn, Anya turned from the sobbing woman. She just couldn't take it anymore. The woman next to her was sobbing about her two-week-long boyfriend cheating on her when Anya recently had to leave.  
  
She pushed back her feelings of resentment with another swig of Jack Daniels, for old times sake. As D'Hoffryn told her repeatedly, business was hard to come by these days so she sure as hell better take it. Sometimes she wondered why she stayed a demon.  
  
"That's all that can be done now. Stay alive."  
  
The words resonated in her mind. She shut her eyes against the memory.  
  
"Stay alive."  
  
Her heart ached. Being with Spike was great. But now she questioned whether the pleasure and love she felt was worth the new pain. She'd spent all that time getting over the past. Getting over Xander. Now to have all this new pain. Anya felt angry all of a sudden. She almost didn't hear that the woman was talking again.  
  
"I just wish. I wish."  
  
Suddenly, Anya stood up, tears in her eyes, and murmured a hurried good-bye after leaving a wad of cash. Anya was getting good at hurriedly leaving bars.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
"So this is the real thing?"  
  
Looking up, Xander blinked at Anya in surprise. "What do you mean?"  
  
"This demon, Jupeille and his minion types, they could actually beat us," Anya explained with her usual bluntness.  
  
"With demons there's always a risk involved," Xander replied carefully.  
  
Anya picked up on the double meaning but she didn't want to pursue the subject. It had been a few months since their wedding ended in tears instead of vows. The issue of whether they still loved each other or not hadn't been brought up. There was something there, they knew it but it had taken long enough to become friends again without so many complications added to it.  
  
"But I mean theses guys are tough. We both saw them. They were big. Maybe too big," Anya said worriedly.  
  
"Buffy can handle it. And we'll help," Xander comforted her and gave her the smile of that high school boy he once was. Softly he took her hand in his and they stood in the comfortable silence of the night.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
The sudden crash of lightening caused Anya to wake with a start. Soft morning light dimmed by the oncoming storm filtered through her windows. She felt cold in the warm fall air. Shaking the dream from her head, Anya pulled the blanket up around her and settled back to sleep.  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
TBC 


	2. Try the Pie

A/N: Thank you so much to everyone who has reviewed already! Hopefully you'll like the rest of the story just as much (or maybe more.?)! * * * * * * * * *  
  
Chapter Two~  
  
A neon sign blinked as if on the verge of reluctant sleep outside the 24-hour diner. Beside it a small chalkboard displayed the day menu that listed an assortment of pies. Below the day menu was the night menu. It consisted mostly of an assortment of blood types.  
  
It was a demon and human diner. A friendly demon that only needed to refuel on a flock of pigeons every three months or so ran it. The demon, Melonia or Mel as some called him, employed humans and strictly enforced an anti-violence rule in and around his diner. For its position on the so- called 'bad part' (that's assuming there was a good part of the city) of New York City, Mel's Pies did well for itself.  
  
Sitting in a crusty, red-cushioned stool at the bar, Spike picked at a half-eaten apple pie. He'd had a bit of blood at a bar in London but that had been a few days ago. He wasn't even in the mood for a good beer. The pie revolving in the lighted case just looked so damn good at the time. It'd been a confusing trail of rumors about a particularly vengeful city that drew Spike to New York City. True, the chances were slim that Anya would be in the same place but there weren't many big cities, he might as well hit them all.  
  
As Spike polished off his third pie plate, a woman with unruly brown hair slid into the stool beside him. He didn't pay much heed to her at first. It was a little odd that someone so clearly human would sit right next to a vampire even in such a peaceful diner. And by the time Spike ordered a slice of blueberry pie, his fifth slice of pie, he realized the women was watching him steadily in the corner of her eye as she drank her coffee.  
  
Never the one to hold back, Spike finished off the slice and finally asked, "Do I know you?"  
  
The woman turned to him. Her brown hair fell back to reveal a relatively young face, mid to late twenties Spike assumed. The only thing that betrayed the age in her face was the glitter in her eyes. Her dark brown eyes seemed playful but as if she'd seen a lot of the world at the same time. It was as if the woman should've had wrinkles to show all she'd been through.  
  
"No but I know you," she teased.  
  
Spike scowled. He hated guessing games.  
  
"Look, little girl-"  
  
"Little girl?" the dark-haired woman raised her eyebrows at him. It was only then he saw a long jagged scar on her left temple. She'd seen many battles, that's where the wisdom in her eyes came from.  
  
"Who are you?" Spike demanded.  
  
"Oh, touchy," the woman scolded, "I was just walking by and saw you here looking so lonesome. Thought I might mosey in and cash in on that promise you made me so very long ago."  
  
Spike stared at her in confusion.  
  
She leaned in close to Spike's ear and whispered, "You get that chip out yet?"  
  
Pulling away from her, Spike stared hard the woman, mouth agape. "What are-"  
  
"Aw, come on, you didn't forget about that confrontation we were planning. I'd still be willing to pop you like warm champagne," the woman said seductively.  
  
"But Buffy said that- oh."  
  
Spike faltered. He remembered vaguely that Dawn told him about Buffy switching bodies once with another Slayer who was named Faith. The switch had been made around the time of his strange 'chat' with Buffy at The Bronze. That was the first time he really lusted for Buffy. But maybe it hadn't really been Buffy.  
  
"Yeah," the woman laughed, "the bad Slayer returns and this time in her own digs."  
  
Faith ran her hands down her worn black leather pants. Spike wondered whether it was true. He hazily remembered Xander's description of the other Slayer as a brunette but that's about it. How could she make all of that up?  
  
"What, you don't you believe me?" Faith pouted.  
  
"Honestly." Spike started.  
  
She leaned in again, her lips lightly brushing his ear lobe. Softly she asked, "wanna give it a go? See if I'm really the Slayer-gone-wrong?" * * * * * * * * * * "You can't keep doing this."  
  
Anya turned to glare at her employer.  
  
"D'Hoffryn." she started but the demon waved his hand at her.  
  
"You're sorry?" He asked, raising his eyebrows.  
  
"Actually I was going to inquire as to whether you ever knocked," Anya replied curtly.  
  
"Oh." D'Hoffryn turned to look at the open door of Anya's apartment. "Sorry."  
  
Anya just shook her head and stood up from her desk.  
  
"As I was saying." D'Hoffryn started walked closer to her. "You have to stop doing this. Part of being vengeance demon is reeking vengeance."  
  
"I know but."  
  
"But what? It's been five years, Anyanka," His tone softened. "You need to move on."  
  
"You make it sound like it isn't as complex as it."  
  
"I realize that it must be hard but if you continue to not grant people their wishes then you can't continue to be vengeance demon."  
  
Gazing to her feet, Anya bit her lip, a habit she'd picked up recently.  
  
After a moment, D'Hoffryn prodded, "Anyanka?"  
  
She looked up at him like a deer headlights.  
  
"I'll require time to consider this," she said quickly.  
  
"Times like these. any strength you can get, you should keep," D'Hoffryn replied, a little taken back by her answer. "I'll give you some time." Then he left as quickly as he came.  
  
Anya stood a moment, running everything through her mind.  
  
"Stay alive," Spike echoed in her mind again.  
  
Then, she realized that the only thing she needed to keep living wasn't something she'd get through wishes. Quickly, before she could change her mind, Anya threw her few belongings into a suitcase and left her apartment.  
  
Anya had to find Spike. * * * * * * * * * Their breathing was heavy. She looked at him, her dark eyes glinting with pleasure.  
  
"Had enough?" Spike shook his head and replied, "hold on."  
  
Faith smiled at him from across the alleyway. One of his temples was bleeding and he moved to wipe it before it trickled down his chiseled features. He was a good fighter she gave him that. It had been a while since Faith went up against a really strong demon. Since the Final Battle she'd mostly taken on small town nuisances and anything that was in her way. Even though it wasn't exactly her style, Faith was trying to keep a low profile. Many demons these days didn't believe that Slayers even existed. But the ones that knew better, the old ones, only craved to kill her even more than they had in the past. Killing a myth was even better than killing a legend.  
  
Carefully, Spike studied the woman that was smiling at him on the other side of the alley. She was strong. Slayer strong, most likely. And how would she know all the things she said about Buffy and the others? Talking about the body switch and various events during Buffy's senior year when they had been fighting before, Faith had convinced Spike that she was the Slayer. She had to be. What else could she be?  
  
"Have you been following me?" Spike asked suddenly.  
  
Faith laughed mockingly and said, "If that's what gets you going."  
  
Trying to keep his cool, Spike shrugged and replied smoothly, "I would blame you or anything if you were."  
  
Again, Faith laughed.  
  
"You vampire, me Slayer, remember?" she asked.  
  
"I heard a rumor you had quite a thing for Angel way back when."  
  
"It's different with Angel. You know that," she teased.  
  
Spike scowled and asked quickly, "why are you here?"  
  
"Local vampire nest," she replied nonchalantly. "Sides, this little country gal wanted to get a taste of the. bigger city. Why are you here?"  
  
"I'm. looking for a demon," he answered cryptically. Spike was oddly not in the mood to bear his soul to this stranger.  
  
"What kind? I could use something to kill."  
  
"I won't let you," Spike caught himself, "kill anything until I'm sure you won't just turn around and dust me," he finished lamely.  
  
Faith faked pouted. "I'm hurt. I wouldn't stake you. Not until you stake me that is."  
  
A sexy half smile crept across Faith's face. Spike ignored it.  
  
"You can tag along if you want. Just don't get in the way," he warned.  
  
"Come on, Angel, drop the cryptic," Faith teased, her smile took a sly edge.  
  
"Fine. Now, I don't exactly know where this demon is. I asked around at a demon bar in New Jersey and they pointed me here but I can't be sure."  
  
"I was actually wondering who this demon is but."  
  
"A friend. Which means no maiming or killing."  
  
"Where's the fun in that?" Faith complained but saw Spike's warning glance. "Fine. But will you pitch in with the nest after?"  
  
"Why not?" Spike replied tiredly.  
  
"Oh, we're going to have tons of fun," she said sarcastically.  
  
"I'm just." Spike stopped and pulled out a cigarette that he lit and took a slow drag on.  
  
When she saw that he wasn't going to finish his sentence, Faith asked, "So when are we going to find this demon?" * * * * * * * * * * "Where ya headed miss?"  
  
Anya stared up at the bus driver who stared back at her through the mirror above his seat. She then scanned the bus. It was pretty much empty. Sleep weighed down the corners of the bus driver's eyes. His run was almost over.  
  
"Where are you going?" Anya asked.  
  
The bus driver blinked in confusion then shifted in his seat.  
  
"Now, miss, I have."  
  
"Please," Anya pleaded. "Where's the furthest you travel to?"  
  
After considering the girl, the bus driver said, "end of the island. That stop is near a hotel."  
  
Not exactly what Anya was hoping for but at least it would give her time to leave New York before D'Hoffryn figured out what happened. She thanked the bus driver, dropped a few coins down, and found a secluded window seat.  
  
Watching the broken down shops pass her by, Anya felt growing excitement about her search. But at the same time, uncertainty followed it like a shadow.  
  
TBC. 


	3. Those Women

A/N: Hope everyone had a happy Thanksgiving and had no encounters with any vengeful spirits!  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
Chapter Three~  
  
"I saw you."  
  
Uncomfortably, Anya ignored the voice and figured the woman wasn't talking to her.  
  
"I saw you," the woman behind her said again. There was no mistaking that she was addressing Anya. "You were there, in the field running through the mist."  
  
Anya turned to see the speaker who sat in the seat behind her, raven hair streaming and eyes blazing with millions of secrets.  
  
When the woman knew she had Anya's attention, she leaned forward and whispered, "the stars warned me of you. You want to take him away from me don't you? That's why you run through the mist blindly. That's why you're a threat."  
  
"Are you stupid or something?" Anya asked and the raven-haired woman laughed wickedly.  
  
"I won't let you take him. I won't let you have my William no matter what lies the stars tell."  
  
"William?" The name sounded familiar but Anya couldn't place it. "Who are you?"  
  
"Someone who wants her happy home back. She wants her daddy and Spike back-"  
  
"Spike?" Anya cried in surprise. Spike's real name was William, that's why she recognized it.  
  
The woman's eyes blazed.  
  
"Princess doesn't like interruptions. When Miss Edith speaks out of turn, I always punish her by-"  
  
"Do you ever stop talking? How could Spike stand being with you for such a long duration of time?" Anya wondered aloud.  
  
"No cakes for the bad demon lady!" Drusilla hissed as her eyes turned amber and her fangs elongated.  
  
She shot out of her seat to attack Anya. But Anya shouted to the bus driver who slammed frantically on the brakes. Drusilla flew backwards in a flash of white lace and tumbled across the floor. With disgust, she stood up quickly. And if it was possible, she looked even angrier than before.  
  
"Do you want to know what the stars told me would happen to you?" Drusilla asked sweetly with a hint of anger blemishing the sweet girl she was trying to portray.  
  
"Now, please-"  
  
Drusilla shot around and sliced her nails across the bus driver's neck. A couple in the back of the bus gasped and the woman sobbed. Anya cried out and using her demon powers, teleported herself to the bus driver's side. It was too late. Now Drusilla was even closer to her and stood above her menacingly. Anya knew Drusilla could kill her if she wanted to.  
  
"You continue to stumble through the field all lost like a poor puppy dog, the kind daddy use to nail to doors. And just as you think you see something in the distance-"  
  
Anya pushed Drusilla away from her suddenly. It caught Drusilla off guard and she tumbled backwards into the street.  
  
"Where's Spike?" Anya demanded.  
  
"You can't have him," Drusilla hissed.  
  
"If you want him so badly, why did you break his heart anyway?" Anya asked her. She knew she should've gotten out of there but she had to know where Spike was.  
  
"Reasons," Drusilla shrugged it off, "but now I want him back and what Princess wants, Princess gets."  
  
"Princess is insane," Anya replied sharply. She ran to the back of the bus and pulled the door off of its hinges then herded the frightened couple off of the bus. As soon as the couple ran off, Anya saw Drusilla coming for her so she quickly teleported herself away.  
  
She had to find Spike, fast.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
"I'm bored," Faith whined as she kicked a stone across the pavement.  
  
"You're worse than Drusilla," Spike grumbled as he walked beside her.  
  
"Come on, don't pretend you don't like me," Faith taunted and then twirled, Spike's leather duster furling around her from when she complained that she was cold.  
  
Despite himself, Spike did like Faith. She reminded him faintly of Drusilla, his first love. Well, his first love as a vampire. But that was primarily in an annoying sort of way.  
  
"So where are we going again and why can't we take a bus?" Faith prodded.  
  
"We're going to a dingy club that I heard is frequented by the heartbroken, prime vengeance demon ground," Spike explained again. "And I just. I just don't want to ride a bus."  
  
"You have a feeling about it?"  
  
Spike shrugged and slipped a cigarette in between his lips. "I guess you could say that."  
  
For a while they walked in silence as Spike slowly blew long streams of smoke from his lips. The streets those days were still enough for any nearby footsteps to be heard. But there weren't many footsteps. No cars passed or stood dully by the sidewalks. It took long enough to get buses back; cars would be another few years for "big" cities like New York. There wasn't even the occasional yowl or clatter from an alley cat lurking near. A few lights glittered nearby but for the most part the doors were closed, the lights dimmed, and crosses clearly displayed.  
  
"Where were you?" Spike asked Faith suddenly.  
  
"What do you mean?" She replied, fingers fumbling unconsciously in the pockets of Spike's duster.  
  
"You know, during the. Final Battle."  
  
Shrugging, Faith looked up at the smoggy sky and said, "I was busy."  
  
"Busy? We were all a bit busy and could've used some help," Spike hissed angrily.  
  
Faith stopped and turned quickly to Spike. He bumped into her and without thinking, grabbed her arm. Still holding her arm, he backed away from her a little as she spoke.  
  
"You want to know what I was doing? I was stuck in some goddamn prison that didn't care that the world was ending. The law's more important than life apparently. It took a while but when I finally escaped, there wasn't much left anyway. I went to find Angel but. he was gone," Faith said softly.  
  
"Am I supposed to feel sorry for you? I watched Buffy. for the second time. I just."  
  
"That's life. It sucks. Deal with it," Faith said sharply and suddenly.  
  
Spike's grip on her arm tightened. She put her hand on his shoulder and looked up at his face. Swaying slightly, her eyes sparkled mischievously.  
  
"What now?" She murmured.  
  
Somewhere far off, loud voices could be heard.  
  
Faith's hair curled lightly around her lustful eyes. Spike took an unnecessary breath and felt himself lean forward slightly. She tilted her head towards him but just as their lips brushed against each other, he turned away.  
  
"I think I hear club music over there," he said.  
  
Faith scowled and pulled away. "If you don't want to play." She started walking towards where the music was coming from.  
  
Spike shook his head softly and lit yet another cigarette. He had to find Anya, fast.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
The farther Anya got from Drusilla, the more she rationalized the situation. Finally she stopped on an abandoned shop doorway to catch her breath. Settling onto the dirty ground, Anya ran shaky hands through her windswept hair.  
  
She sorted out her thoughts and tried to make sense of it all. 'Why would Drusilla be in New York? She said she was looking for Spike. Does that mean he is here? Or maybe she's leaving for wherever he is located. Or maybe,' Anya thought with horror, 'Drusilla is here to kill me. She knew I'd be trying to find Spike so she thought she'd eliminate the threat.'  
  
Anya didn't know very much about Drusilla. All she knew was what Xander or Spike mentioned casually every once and a while. But Anya had picked up that while Drusilla didn't possess very much sanity, she did have very developed psychic powers. It was perfectly possible that Drusilla came to New York because she knew Anya would be there. Of course, she could also be there because she knew Spike was there.  
  
Deep heartedly, Anya wanted to believe the latter. She wanted to think that life was kittens and balloons. But even deeper down, she knew it wasn't. Anyanka had lived long enough to know that life wasn't fair. It wasn't kittens and balloons. But if she worked hard enough, it would be worth it to have even a few moments of true happiness. It would be worth it to have Spike.  
  
But what were the risks? Getting killed by an envious and psychotic vampire?  
  
'There is still time to go back,' Anya thought frantically. 'I'm still in New York and my apartment couldn't have been taken over by scavengers already. I couldn't go back to vengeance. I've tried this whole love thing before and I've seen the consequences. Go back now and I could just force myself to care about those women's problems, force myself to be happy.'  
  
The distant sound of a crash brought Anya back.  
  
She stood up, wiped her eyes, and looked ahead of her, at the world around her. She couldn't give up on this lead. If Drusilla was here, so was Spike, Anya decided, and she wouldn't give up on him.  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
TBC. 


	4. Yet Another Bar

A/N: Sorry for the wait! Things have been hectic. But here's the fourth chapter, hurrah! Also, I'm not exactly sure how old Faith was when she was on the show so I just guessed.  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
Chapter Four~  
  
Beneath glittering lights, she watched him with a careful eye. He was so charismatic as he nonchalantly flirted with the bartender who giggled and blushed as he twirled a lock of her long blonde hair.  
  
'She must be new or else she'd knew better than to flirt with customers,' Faith thought as she observed Spike luring the needed information out of the overly friendly bartender. 'Even if the customer is steaming hot in that dark, alluring way.'  
  
Faith shivered as she unconsciously popped a martini olive into her mouth.  
  
"This is a great song," said an eager man in a business suit beside her.  
  
"Uh-huh," Faith replied as she ran a red nail across the rim of the glass and wondered what Spike looked like naked.  
  
"They've really gotten this place together. You know, since. They have music, martinis, and everything," the man pursued again.  
  
"They sure have. I can't believe Buffy never banged him," Faith murmured to herself.  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
She scrunched her face and looked at the man. "What?"  
  
"Never mind," the man sighed. "Anyway, the whole city has been cleaned up a lot."  
  
'I bet Buffy wanted to bang him. Who wouldn't?'  
  
"Like right now some of my friends and I are setting up a bank."  
  
'Now that I think about it, who wouldn't want to bang me? I'm hot, even at 25.'  
  
"What do you do for a living?"  
  
'He's been flirting with that girl a while. I wonder if he's trying to make me jealous. Two can play that game."  
  
"Miss?"  
  
"Would you like to dance?" Faith asked the man suddenly.  
  
He smiled broadly and said happily, "of course."  
  
Slipping her arm in his, Faith cooed, "Oh, do you work out?"  
  
The man blushed. "Well."  
  
"I can tell," Faith exclaimed, batting her eyelashes.  
  
Faith continued to watch Spike as she danced with the anonymous man. It's not that she was desperate to have sex with Spike but. well, why not? Fate had brought them together. What else could it have been? Of all the places Faith's wandering lead her; they lead her to a diner where a certain bleached vamp was eating pie. Life was truly weird.  
  
There was suddenly a hand on Faith's shoulder. She twirled around and almost ran into Spike. He looked disappointed.  
  
"Let's go," he said quietly.  
  
"Aw, come on, lets dance first, just once," Faith pleaded.  
  
Spike turned away from her, shrugging a shoulder back and asked, "what about your friend?"  
  
Faith blinked hard then finally realized what he meant. She turned back to the man from the bar that was standing behind her looking a little sad. She said more than she asked, "you don't mind, do you?"  
  
The man shook his head and managed a small, "it's fine."  
  
"What a doll," Faith cooed and ran her fingers down his cheek. Quickly, she turned back to Spike who was watching something far off and seemed even farther away.  
  
"Now do you want to dance?" Faith asked to get back his attention. A slow, seductive song was playing around them and the lights were low.  
  
"The bartender said she hadn't seen Anya around tonight and that she's usually here by now, making her rounds," Spike informed her then quickly realized he'd made a mistake.  
  
"Anya?" Faith questioned with raised eyebrows.  
  
"The demon I'm looking for," he said quickly.  
  
"It's a girl? The demon you're looking for."  
  
"Yes," Spike replied patiently. "Anyanka, she's a vengeance demon."  
  
"Don't you usually just invoke vengeance demons?"  
  
"I'm not invoking her for vengeance."  
  
"Anya, that name sounds familiar," Faith mused.  
  
Spike shrugged, wanting desperately to get out of there.  
  
"Let's go get some air," Spike said mostly to himself and pushed through the crowd to the door.  
  
"Wait!" Faith called, catching up to him. "Tell me more about Anya. Why do you want to find her?"  
  
"Let's go outside."  
  
"No." She gripped onto his arm. He pulled away from her violently and shoved open the door.  
  
Outside, he took out a cigarette with shaking hands. Just as it started burning, Faith came out and tore it away from him.  
  
"Who's Anya?"  
  
"If you only had a better memory, you might know," Spike laughed.  
  
"So I know her?"  
  
"I could really use some blood right now."  
  
Spike looked up at the sky. Dawn was only a few hours away, he could tell and he hadn't had any blood for days. What he really needed was just to find Anya and get the search over with. If he did, he wouldn't have to worry about anything anymore.  
  
"I want to know who Anya is before we visit any butcher shops," Faith demanded.  
  
"Butcher shop?" Spike laughed as a disgusted look crept across Faith's face. "How many of those are there these days, do you figure?"  
  
"I won't let you kill anyone," Faith said firmly.  
  
"Wasn't really planning on it, pet."  
  
Faith just stared at him in confusion.  
  
"Just a quick sip, not enough to do any permanent damage."  
  
"I guess. but I'm coming with to make sure."  
  
"Don't trust me?"  
  
"Not at all."  
  
"Fair enough. I'll just grab that girl over there," Spike said.  
  
Faith looked to her feet.  
  
"Look, I don't like it either but I don't have much chose."  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
"Sad lady, would you like your fortune read?"  
  
Anya braced herself, expecting to turn around to an insane vampire but instead found an old lady grinning a toothless grin beneath her disheveled hair.  
  
"No, thank you," Anya said softly. She'd had enough fortune telling that night.  
  
"But you look so troubled," the old woman called as she hobbled after Anya persistently.  
  
"Which is why I don't need you to bother me!" Anya hissed, meaner than she meant to.  
  
But the old woman was unfazed by what Anya said.  
  
"He's looking for you too."  
  
Squeezing her eyes shut, Anya stopped then slowly turned to face the old woman.  
  
"Do you mean-"  
  
"He's here but he doesn't know that you are," the old woman confirmed. "But you're not the only one seeking him."  
  
Eyes fixed on her feet, Anya murmured, "I know. Is there anything I am can do?"  
  
The woman shook her head, and said softly, "It's all very unclear." Then she looked up into Anya's eyes.  
  
"Do I know you?" Anya asked as she stared into the woman's eyes.  
  
"No. But I saw you in my dreams and I know I will never see you again," the woman replied cryptically and turned away. "Good luck."  
  
Not knowing what to make of the woman's words, Anya continued walking. But she felt tired after their meeting and checked into a dingy hotel. She knew she couldn't return to her apartment in case D'Hoffryn was looking for her. Of course, if he really wanted to, he could easily find Anya. But hopefully he wouldn't for a while or he'd realized that she was too far-gone.  
  
Lying on the scratchy sheets of the hotel bed, Anya remembered every detail of the last time she saw Spike.  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
"For a murderer, you're quite a wimp," Spike commented as Faith crouched in a corner of an alleyway.  
  
"Speak for yourself," Faith spat, "you can't even kill anymore."  
  
"Damn soul."  
  
"Damned soul."  
  
"It's all the same."  
  
Faith got up on shaky legs and straightened herself out. "The girl will be okay especially since you kicked me mid-bite and let her escape," Spike said, "I'm sorry it has to be like this." He thought about how he could've gone to a bar somewhere and gotten blood. Maybe it was better like this.  
  
"No, it's cool. I'm just tired, you know," Faith replied casually.  
  
"Right," Spike said flatly. "Let's find a hotel."  
  
They found a little hotel a few blocks away. The tired clerk informed them that the only rooms there had either single or double beds. There was only one bed to each room.  
  
"A double is all we'll be needing," Faith said with a wink and ran her hand across Spike's.  
  
When they got to their room, neither said a word. They took off their shoes then Spike shed his shirt and Faith pulled off her pants. But they ended up as far away from each other as the bed would allow.  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
TBC 


	5. CrissCrossing

A/N: Yay for me and the quick update time! This is in honor of the showing of 'Entropy' on FX tonight (and the freezing rain day that gave me time to type this up). Also, I know this story is a bit cheesy but. it's my story so deal. And this is the last chapter with the whole Spike and Faith will they or won't they thing, promise. Oh and the italicized words are dreams for this chapter. Thanks for the all the reviews! Of course, more is better you know. Enjoy!  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Chapter Five~  
  
There was a crash.  
  
She turned quickly. Blood dripped from her shoulder and the ax she held.  
  
"Oh god."  
  
Bricks. Bricks all around and pieces of wood lying over a form hidden by that broken wall. Jupeille grinned evilly above Xander's body. His claws were covered with blood.  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
Waking after a nearly sleepless day, one filled with dreams anyway, unfortunately, Anya heard a woman giggling in the hotel room next to hers. She rolled her eyes and covered herself with the thick brown blanket. At least some people were happy.  
  
She just wanted to lie there a little while longer. Just close her eyes.  
  
Begrudgingly, she sat up and got dressed for yet another fruitless night of searching.  
  
The scrawny man in the lobby looked with wide eyes at the disheveled demon before him.  
  
"Checking out?" He questioned.  
  
"Yes but I may return," Anya informed him as she ran a hand through her messy hair self-consciously.  
  
The man just blinked at her.  
  
"What I mean is." Anya paused to sort out her words. "If a man o-or anyone comes looking for me just tell them you cannot claim to have seen me. Also, if I return and that. person was here, tell me before I check in, okay?"  
  
"Okay," the man agreed with obvious unease.  
  
"Thank you for your services," Anya said and left quickly.  
  
The man stared after her in confusion.  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
"Buffy."  
  
Her hair fell limply through his fingers. Her cold green eyes stared past him impassively. Pulling her lifeless body to him, he whispered, "not again."  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
Still half asleep, Spike absently pulled the warm body next to him closer in an affectionate embrace. The warm body wrapped its arm around his and ran her hand across it.  
  
"Couldn't stay away from me?" A female voice murmured and then giggled.  
  
Spike opened his eyes quickly and realized whom he was holding. He tried to disengage himself from Faith but she held onto him with unyielding force.  
  
"I don't mind, really, I've forgiven you," Faith informed him.  
  
Spike was about to protest but he felt his mind betraying him. How much could it hurt?  
  
"Honestly, Faith, any other time." He softly let go of her and pulled away. "But not now."  
  
In the dimly lit room, a hurt look was clearly visible on her face. But then she shrugged it off.  
  
"This was probably the most uncomfortable bed I've ever slept on," Faith commented as she dressed like it was just any other day. "And those sheets, the scratchiest ones I've ever had."  
  
"Not me," Spike mumbled and suppressed the memories.  
  
"So where to today?" Faith asked.  
  
"Not really sure yet."  
  
"Well, I vote we hit that vamp nest I told you about. You know, to kill time among other things."  
  
"Alright, sounds like a good plan. Mostly since I don't have one. Where's the nest?"  
  
"I'll show you, come on."  
  
After they were dressed, they went into the lobby and the man behind the counter took back their key. Spike said they might be back and the man just blinked at them.  
  
"By the way," Spike started.  
  
"Oh no, him? Why would he have seen your little demon girl?" Faith complained.  
  
Spike ignored her and asked the man, "have you seen a woman about this high, light brown hair, brown eyes, and attractive."  
  
"Attractive?" Faith questioned.  
  
"Have you seen her?" Spike asked again.  
  
The man blinked. "I cannot claim to have seen her."  
  
Spike wasn't sure if the man was lying or not but he decided the man wasn't. Why would he?  
  
So Spike paid the scrawny-looking man and followed Faith out onto the street.  
  
Suddenly he stopped right outside the door and looked around cautiously.  
  
"Nest's this way," Faith called somewhat impatiently.  
  
"I just." He shook off the strange feeling he had and quickly caught up with her.  
  
From the alleyway a pair of amber eyes glared after them and the ruby red lips below them murmured, "someone's been a naughty boy, following the bad Slayer into the unknown. Could cause trouble."  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
"What was that stupid trick Xander did? Oh right, if I were Spike and looking for myself, where would I be located?" Anya asked herself as she stood on a street corner, looking around her. "Maybe since I am searching for myself I would be located where I am normally."  
  
An old man walked by the demon and gave her a suspicious look. Anya bit her tongue and attempted to ignore the old man as he ambled off.  
  
"And if I were myself I would normally be located. in a bar!" Anya cried cheerfully, not realizing how strange that sounded. "But then if I were D'Hoffryn and I was looking for me, I would be at a bar, also. This is becoming confusing."  
  
"I'll help you."  
  
Anya turned to see the old woman who wanted to tell her fortune the night before.  
  
"I thought you said that I'd never see you again," Anya replied.  
  
"You won't let me go," the old woman answered as if it was obvious.  
  
"Me?" Anya scoffed. "Who are you precisely?"  
  
The woman shrugged and said simply, "the past."  
  
"Well that's stupid."  
  
The woman looked shocked and Anya clarified, "why would I need the past to help with the future?"  
  
After receiving no reply, Anya murmured, "the world's so dumb sometimes." She then looked to the old woman, "what do I need to do?"  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
"Hello kittens."  
  
The vampires, who had been sleeping in that night, jumped up quickly from their various places about the room, their game faces on.  
  
"Who are you?" demanded one dressed in grungy 80s clothes named Kevin. The others had relaxed when they'd seen the intruder was an attractive woman with raven hair. Maybe they were getting delivery tonight. But Kevin was the only one to pay close attention to the woman's Victorian garb.  
  
"Simply a messenger here to speak on the stars' behalf," the woman replied as she stroked her long brown her with manicured but deadly nails.  
  
All of the vampires now noticed the woman's ancient wardrobe and calm demeanor now with uneasiness. But they all waited for Kevin, their self- proclaimed leader and the oldest among them, to talk. Kevin was at a loss for words.  
  
"You're going to have visitors tonight," the woman murmured huskily.  
  
"Yeah, apparently," a vampire named Peter retorted.  
  
Suddenly, the woman shot out a hand, caught Peter's neck, and dragged him to her. She held his body against her in an almost gentle way except for the fingernail that hovered by his neck, which held the others back from helping.  
  
"Besides me, silly boy," cooed the raven-haired vampire. "A girl and another vampire. They're coming to kill you but I came to prevent that."  
  
She spoke as if she had ulterior motives for helping them.  
  
"And why would that be.?" Peter asked cautiously.  
  
"Drusilla," the woman purred. "And I have my reasons."  
  
She ran a fingernail across Peter's cheek leaving a streak of red. Then, with no further warning, she snapped off his head, reducing his body to ashes.  
  
"Now this is what I want." Drusilla started.  
  
"Wait!" A burgundy-haired vampire named Amelia protested. "You can't come in here and just expect us to follow your lead."  
  
"Do you need another demonstration?" Drusilla questioned, annoyed.  
  
"No, no," Kevin interjected quickly, his eyes downcast. "We'll do what you want us to as long as you don't kill any more of us."  
  
"It's not me you have to worry about."  
  
By now Drusilla was surveying the burnt up former restaurant that now housed the six, now five, vampires that banded together there a few years ago. She had a dissatisfied look on her face.  
  
"So, uh, these friends of yours, when are they coming?" Kevin asked impatiently.  
  
Drusilla wasn't listening. She'd stopped in the middle of the room, her eyes closed. Slowly, she swayed back and forth humming.  
  
"They draw near."  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
TBC 


	6. Reflection

A/N: Sorry for the delay! But this is a big chapter. It's not really what I wanted it to be but I also didn't want to get to into the fighting aspects of it. I don't think I could have handled getting into detail about any of my (okay, actually Joss') beloved characters' deaths. Oh yeah, this is where the character deaths I warned about come in. Anyway, if you haven't read 'Shatters', the prequel to this, yet, you probably should before reading this. Also, I'm going away on vacation so no updates for a while! But I hope you enjoy this chapter! Have happy holidays, everybody!  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
Chapter Six~  
  
Even though she felt suspicious, Anya followed the old woman to a building that was probably apartments in a past life. Now it was just a broken down five story building that was decomposing even as Anya sat on the ground in a windowless room.  
  
"Now," started the old woman as she settled down in front of a crystal ball. "Scrying requires intense concentration. You can blink but make sure your main focus is the crystal ball."  
  
'Great idea, Anyanka,' Anya thought miserably to herself.  
  
"Are you focusing on the crystal ball?" the woman questioned.  
  
"Yes," Anya replied.  
  
"Good. Now to do this I want you to think of an event in the past which involved the person you're looking for."  
  
Anya's mind quickly jumped back five years ago against her will. And before she could replace the memory, an image panned across the crystal ball and a scene played out.  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
He stood in the corner of the Magic Box, aloof and uncaring. She hardly took any notice to him from where she stood at the table by Willow until he spoke.  
  
"But we can handle it, right?" Spike asked with a bored and cocky air as he let cigarette smoke curl around him.  
  
"In theory," Buffy replied but she looked worried.  
  
"Yeah, it's just another demon, right? No biggie," Dawn chimed in and then added quickly, "and I am helping."  
  
"Jupeille is hundreds of years old, he's not just another demon," Giles informed them. "W-well I guess he is but he's a powerful one. That's why I came to help."  
  
"Plus he's got connections," Anya added.  
  
"That too," Giles said.  
  
"Connections?" Willow asked with worry.  
  
"Like Mafia connections?" Xander asked.  
  
"No, more like connections of the scaly and hideous kind," Anya said. "Demons, I mean, if you didn't get the stereotype."  
  
"But that was a long time ago. Jupeille has been more of a below-the- radar kind of demon as of late," Spike pointed out.  
  
"Which could mean either he was on a spiritual journey or plotting something. I'm thinking the latter," Buffy said.  
  
The mood got a little graver when these words were spoken.  
  
"Let's just hope his minions aren't as big as he is," Buffy murmured.  
  
"Or have as many claws," Dawn added softly.  
  
No one knew what to say.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Long repressed memories started clogging Anya's mind.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
"I feel like we should be talking," Dawn informed them from the backseat of Xander's van.  
  
Buffy exchanged glances with Xander before asking, "what do you mean?"  
  
"Just things we want to get off our chests, you know," Dawn said casually but with evident nervousness.  
  
"In case we die, you mean, bit?" Spike asked from beside her.  
  
"Nobody's dying," Buffy commanded.  
  
"I'm sorry for being so mean when mom died," Dawn said to Buffy. "And I'm sorry, Willow, for slapping you."  
  
"Dawn, this is."  
  
"I'm sorry for getting in that car wreck, Dawnie," Willow interrupted Buffy.  
  
"While we're at it, Rupert, I'm sorry for breaking your Kiss the Librarian mug," Spike jumped in.  
  
"That was you?" Giles asked.  
  
"Buffy, I'm sorry for not telling you about Angel's soul," Xander apologized.  
  
"What about it?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Spike, I'm sorry for not helping you stake Drusilla," Anya chimed in.  
  
"I'm sorry I. insulted the disco ball in your basement, Xander," Giles said.  
  
The van was silent again but less somber as they drove to the military base for weapons.  
  
Then Dawn said, "Buffy?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"You didn't apologize to anyone."  
  
They all looked at her expectantly.  
  
"I did it, you can to," Spike prodded.  
  
"Fine, um, I'm sorry, Dawn, for spilling something on your green shirt," she said quickly.  
  
"I knew that was you!"  
  
Oddly enough, they all felt a little better.  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
It was the night everything changed. The night everything went to hell. Almost literally. The night Anya never wanted to think about ever again was playing on the crystal ball.  
  
They were all in the Magic Box again. It was cold. It was colder than it usually was at that time in November. Anya could vividly remember what everyone was wearing. They were all in coats, of course, and Anya remembered thinking how disturbing Willow's bright red scarf was. It just eerily seemed to be an omen. And Xander was wearing a sweater Anya made for him after she had the conviction that wives should sew for their husbands. Well, she was actually a wife-to-be at the time but it was an early wedding gift. It was also hideous, everyone knew it but didn't say it. Spike was wearing his usual outfit but without the usual attitude that went along with it. He seemed nervous, surprisingly enough. Buffy, Xander, Anya, and him had had a run-in with Jupeille and a few of his minions that week so he had cause to be. Jupeille's minions were about as big as Jupeille.  
  
Weapons were splayed across the table they were huddled around. Axes, swords, crossbows, and even some guns but it wasn't enough.  
  
"This could be it," Buffy said gravely. "This battle. it could end it."  
  
They exchanged glances that showed they all had one thought, 'it can end?'  
  
After a silent moment, Willow said, "we should make a pact."  
  
"We aren't a bunch of fifth grade girls at some bloody slumber party, Red," Spike complained.  
  
Willow ignored him and continued, "The possibility of separation. we can't take the risk of staying here in case the fight goes, well, bad, like Buffy said. So we're supposed to leave if we don't if we don't know of any other survivors, right?"  
  
Everyone just looked at her, waiting for a point.  
  
"Five years from now, any survivors should meet at that cliff in Rein Park that overlooks town," Willow said.  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
"Couldn't stay away either?"  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Agreed," Buffy said on everyone's behalf. "And I know I'll be seeing all of you in five years."  
  
Anya remembered how Spike had whispered in her ear before they left the shop, "we're the only demons on these guys' side. We need to use that to the fullest."  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Anya saw Buffy kiss Spike. She saw the mixture of hope and confusion on his face. And Anya saw Buffy have the same expression on her face that she had had while cradling Willow's lifeless body in her arms. Sadness mixed with guilt and regret. They all saw the end drawing near. And with it came past regrets to add to the mounting feeling of dread.  
  
Looking out sadly, Anya saw Xander standing, sword in hand, above a dead minion.  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
"I'll see you next year, Spike."  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
Through a cloud of dust, Anya made out the form of Buffy. She was holding an axe high above her head that she quickly dug deep into Jupeille's claw. He roared and swatted but missed the quick Slayer. While he swung his claw at the girl, Giles hacked at Jupeille's leg with a broad sword.  
  
Anya knew she should get up and help them but her legs wouldn't listen to her commands. They remained kneeling, willing Anya to look down at the dead body she sat beside. Tears stung her eyes as she gently squeezed Xander's warm but lifeless hand.  
  
"Goodbye," she whispered as she leaned down and kissed him softly.  
  
With new resolution, Anya willed herself to stand up and grab the mace that lay near. Briefly she wondered about where Spike was but soon she stood in front of Jupeille and was too caught up in blind rage to think.  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
All of Jupeille's minions were gone. Most were dead but many had fled. Some would return later to savor the destruction while most went on to conquer other cities. Jupeille's zeal for power and destruction had fueled his followers to seek paths of their own. If their master defeated the Slayer, what would stand in their way?  
  
But none of those thoughts crossed Buffy, Giles, or Anya's minds as they attempted to kill the demon that started had it all.  
  
"Stupid gnats!" Jupeille screamed as he tried to flick off the miniscule humans. "Your determination won't help you."  
  
As if to prove his point, he smacked Anya into a wall. Everything went black.  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
TBC 


	7. Peeping Anyanka

A/N: Sorry for the wait! I'm just been busy and unmotivated lately but I finally just sat down and typed. Please review!  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
Chapter Seven~  
  
The crystal ball suddenly cleared.  
  
The old woman looked up at Anya with disappointment.  
  
"What happened?" she asked.  
  
"Shouldn't you already know?" Anya hissed as she stood up, tears streaming down her face.  
  
"How did she die?"  
  
"Where is Spike?" Anya demanded.  
  
"You have to finish the memory first," the woman insisted.  
  
"How do you think it ended? Why do you think I'm here? Alone. Tell me where Spike is."  
  
The old woman stayed firmly on the ground by the crystal ball. She looked up at the frenzied demon calmly.  
  
"You have to recall everything before I'll help," she explained.  
  
Anya's teary eyes flashed dangerously and her face morphed into that of an angry demon. She grabbed the old woman's wrist and yanked her up from the ground.  
  
"Look, all I want is to locate Spike and get my fucking happily ever after, do you comprehend that?" Anya asked as she glared down at the old woman.  
  
After staring at Anyanka for a moment with a steady gaze, the old woman finally yielded.  
  
"Look into the crystal ball," she instructed.  
  
Anyanka released her gruffly. Kneeling in front of the ball, Anya gazed into it impatiently. Slowly the glass turned milky then a picture formed of a street corner with two figures standing on it.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Almost there," Faith informed Spike as they walked down what seemed to be the fiftieth block that night.  
  
"Now I don't want to sound uptight but do you have some form of plain for this suicide?" Spike asked with annoyance.  
  
"Plan? Oh come on, you're starting to sound like Buffy," Faith laughed.  
  
Spike winced at the sound of his late love's name.  
  
"And which one of you was it that ended up behind bars?"  
  
"Like Buffy's plans always worked. If they had, she wouldn't have died- three times!"  
  
Snarling, Spike grabbed Faith's wrist and with a swift movement, pinned her against a near wall still holding her arm.  
  
"If you're so damn cocky, why don't you take out that nest all on your own," Spike suggested.  
  
Pushing backwards, Faith freed herself from Spike's grasp.  
  
"That was the original plan," she said with a sneer, "I just thought some good old slaughter would get you out of this rut."  
  
"I'm not in a rut," Spike said defensively.  
  
"Call it whatever you want."  
  
"I'm not in a rut," he said again, more firmly. "In fact, I came here because I finally woke up and decided to get my life back together."  
  
"Unlife," Faith corrected, "But what's the point really? There isn't life these days- not really. That's assuming there ever was. Don't kid yourself, Spike. You get what you what you can get and you do what you can do. Fighting is what we do, why look for more? And I know we can't really make a difference, at least not a huge one. Life won't get better but we can keep it from getting any worse."  
  
Spike looked to his feet and replied dumbly, "Now who sounds like Buffy?"  
  
"I don't know what's holding you back," Faith said as she attempted to catch Spike's gaze. "It seems to me like you're afraid of loosing something and it doesn't seem to be your life."  
  
The streets were dampened with an eerie calm. Faith stood studying Spike for a moment. She was waiting for an answer she knew she wouldn't get.  
  
"I'm going," she said softly but firmly.  
  
"How did you get so smart?"  
  
"The end of the world does strange things to people."  
  
With a determined click of heels, Faith walked away from the confused man. Spike knew he should follow her. But he felt that he should really be looking for someone else. He ran off in the opposite direction with sudden determination.  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
Suddenly, instead of seeing the image fade, a face appeared and covered the span of the crystal ball.  
  
"It's not polite to spy," the familiar face of the vampire Anya had seen on the bus scolded. "You might end up seeing something you don't want to see."  
  
An image of a group of smiling vampires standing in an old restaurant panned across the screen.  
  
"Who will you find first?" the voice asked as if narrating a low- class mystery. "The good-as-dead Slayer or the already undead man you love? Maybe the question is, who do you want to find first?"  
  
The crystal ball cleared again and Anya turned away with her eyes shut tightly.  
  
"Who will you find first?" the old woman asked with a leering tone in her voice, as she walked to the distraught demon.  
  
"Whomever I come across first," Anya replied with sudden determination, "but I know I'll end up at that nest either way."  
  
She walked to the door only pausing briefly to give the woman a look that meant thank you and also sorry. As Anya exited the building, the old woman morphed back into a demon. A smile spread across his face as he murmured proudly, "that's my Anyanka."  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
From what she could see in the crystal ball, Anya had a vague idea where to go. The place she'd seen Faith and Spike talking looked familiar but in such a large and confusing city, she could easily be wrong. But the vampires' lair also seemed familiar. In fact, Anya thought she'd heard of it before. So as long as she headed that way, she would find someone. She hoped.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
Spike wasn't thinking. He didn't know where to go. But he knew it wasn't in the direction of the vampire nest.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
"Why do I always do this?" Faith asked herself incredulously. "I trust someone when I know I shouldn't and it always ends up that same way. Bad."  
  
She talked as if she expected someone to shout "amen!" after every statement she made. Instead the night remained still.  
  
"I'm the only trustworthy person left in this world. Of course, that's not saying much," Faith grumbled.  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
"Hey Spike, long time no see, ole buddy, ole pal."  
  
Anya shook her head in disgust as she breathlessly practiced what she's say to Spike while running along the empty sidewalk. True, she might meet Spike again while saving him from his psycho ex-girlfriend but that didn't mean she couldn't greet him properly.  
  
"Spike, you can't ever seem to keep out of trouble, you, crazy kid. you. No, I mean, Spike, how have you been? Better than you are now, I hope. No I don't mean that either."  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
"We've been crouching here for like ten minutes, can't we just go out to eat?"  
  
Drusilla closed her eyes tightly and hissed, "Mummy doesn't like impatience unless she's the impatient one."  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
"It's not like Spike is that hot anyway," Faith reasoned with her invisible companion. "And plus, vampire. I mean it's not like you can find many non-vampire guys these days with killer abs that etch through their tight black tee shirts and deep blue eyes that just really burn into you. There aren't many guys like that anytime, actually. but that's not the point!"  
  
Reaching her destination, Faith paused briefly to regain her Slayer cool.  
  
"Dusting a few vamps will clear my mind," she thought as she stepped into the dark room. It was suspiciously quiet. And then she shrieked.  
  
* * * * * * * "How have I been? I've been feeling fine, thank you. That burning pain in my chest only bothers me when I go into a bar, lie in my bed, brush my hair, eat." Anya prattled on as she raced down the street. It seemed like she'd been running a long time and she wasn't sure she knew where she was going anymore. But her legs wouldn't let her stop. They were numb as they continued to propel her towards her unknown destination.  
  
"Where have you been all my life, Anyanka?" Anya continued her conversation with herself. "I've been aro-"  
  
Turning the corner, she collided with something at full speed. In a mass, she hit the ground and let out a sharp cry as the thing landed right on top of her. Panicked and confused, Anya pushed the body off of herself and scrambled to her feet. When she looked down, a pair of bright blue eyes met her gaze.  
  
She was speechless.  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
TBC 


	8. Surprise

A/N: I don't claim to be a vampire know-it-all but for the sake of the story, I made up a little vampire info.  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
Chapter Eight~  
  
They stared at each other in silence. She felt faint as his soft blue eyes glowed mysteriously while holding her gaze steadily. Long white plumes swirled from their mouths, he needlessly panting as he tried to think of something to say.  
  
"Are you okay?" Spike asked as he unsteadily made it to his feet.  
  
"Yes, I-I'm sorry for running into you. It was very careless on my behalf," Anya spat out without thinking.  
  
"Yeah, I'm sorry to," Spike replied.  
  
Anya knew there was something she needed to say as they stood in silence but her racing heart distracted her.  
  
"Well, fancy seeing you here," he said with a nervous chuckle. 'Stupid, stupid!'  
  
"I know, out of all the high populace cities, you happen to be here."  
  
'Happen to be here?' Spike thought to himself. He didn't know what to say. His cool air abandoned him when he needed it most. As he learned while in love with Buffy, if he said anything it would turn into babble.  
  
"Oh!" Anya cried suddenly. "That girl you were with."  
  
She lost her train of thought when Spike tilted his head in curiosity, something that always got Anya weak in the knees even when she was with Xander.  
  
"Faith? How do you know about her?" He asked.  
  
"It's a long story, as they say, but that's not the point-"  
  
"Did you see me with her?" Spike asked with an edge of worry that unnerved Anya.  
  
"Yes, but-"  
  
"When?"  
  
"I'll explain later," Anya said, trying to stay patient, "but right now she's about to get killed by your ex."  
  
"Buffy's a vampire? But she-"  
  
"No!" Anya was thankful she learned to be more patient while dating Xander. "The other one- the insane one, Drusilla, she set up a trap for both of you but you are here now and the woman, Faith, is in trouble."  
  
"Where? I mean, where is the trap?"  
  
"At the vampire nest you were headed to, I think. So if we go to the nest, we can save Faith."  
  
Nervously Spike said, "That would work, if we knew where the nest was."  
  
"Well how many vampire nests could be established in one city?  
  
All Spike needed to do was give Anya a look.  
  
"Valid point," she said with frustration. "Let's start out with retracing your steps and go from there."  
  
"While I'm a little nervous that you seem to know so much, I'll worry about that later. Let's go, this way."  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
"You're not right," Drusilla complained in Faith's ear as she held the Slayer's arm so it twisted painfully if moved. "You're supposed to have Spike with you."  
  
"Well, if you let me, I'll just pop outside for a bit and go find him," Faith offered.  
  
Drusilla laughed but yanked on Faith's arm at the same time, bringing the girl up against her. "I may be insane but I'm not stupid."  
  
"Could've fooled me."  
  
With surprising force, even for a vampire, Drusilla shoved Faith into a table. Faith hit the table with such force, she tumbled up on to it. But she also used the opportunity to grab onto a loose board. Breaking it in half, Faith raised herself to her knees and displayed the two stakes.  
  
Out of fury, Drusilla's eyes turned amber and she hissed, "kill her."  
  
"But, Mistress," Kevin interjected quickly, "couldn't we use the girl as bait?"  
  
"Why, you don't love him, do you?" Drusilla questioned Faith and laughed again.  
  
"Of course not," Faith said, "that's why you should let me go."  
  
Faith's legs were sore where they hit the table and her wrist was bruised already. She wouldn't survive a fight against so many vampires especially when one was as old as Drusilla.  
  
"No and you're not the one he loves," Drusilla observed languidly, "then why do you trouble me so?"  
  
"I'm better looking?" Faith suggested as she skimmed the surrounding building for a quick exit.  
  
"We both know that's not it." Drusilla let Faith's comment be forgotten as she strolled lazily about the room, deep in thought.  
  
"Mistress," Kevin whispered impatiently, "can we dispose of the girl yet or will she become bait?"  
  
Suddenly, Faith jumped from the table, stake in hand, and raced towards the door. Three vampires rushed at her but with little work, she dusted two. The third, although, caught her wrist when she dusted the second vampire and threw her to Drusilla's feet.  
  
Unfazed, Drusilla gently placed her foot on Faith's out stretched arm. Then, with no warning, she pressed on it with a chorus of snaps. Faith gasped in pain then bite her lip.  
  
"So you're the Slayer, are you?" Drusilla asked. "Oh, the fun I'll have with you!"  
  
She clapped her hands then kicked Faith into a corner casually.  
  
"The Slayer? I thought that was a myth," one of the vampires said in shock.  
  
"Apparently you don't think very often," Drusilla said shortly and turned her attention back to the wounded Slayer. "Do you really want to displease me so? It would be so much easier if you just forgot the spark you feel for my daddy but try to hide away. I will have my Angel and my Spike and it'll be just like how it use to be."  
  
"Angel, is he alive?"  
  
By now Drusilla was bored with the girl and turned back to her followers.  
  
"We'll use the broken birdy for bait kill her and the demon once I get my lost William back."  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
"So this is the place," Spike said when they got to the place where Spike left Faith.  
  
"Great, I was hoping someone would have a bright idea before we got here," Anya mumbled.  
  
"Yeah, me too."  
  
They looked up into each other's eyes then quickly looked away like shy teenagers on their first date.  
  
'This is bloody stupid,' Spike decided as he gathered his courage  
  
"Anya?"  
  
"Yes, Spike?" Anya asked hopefully. Her deep brown eyes twinkled up at him and he faltered.  
  
"I've got something to say."  
  
"Uh-huh?"  
  
"I really." Anya's eyes locked with Spike's and he lost his train of thought. "Oh bloody hell, Anya, I-"  
  
Suddenly he gripped his head in pain.  
  
* * * * * * * * * Drusilla was bored. It was taking her William and his demon whore longer than she expected to find the nest. She'd just assumed that he'd know where it was in the first place. Either that or he'd just happen to find it. But now she had to wait for him to find it. The impatient Drusilla had already grown bored with torturing the Slayer. All she felt like doing was inflicting a few bruises that wouldn't appear for a few days so the Slayer still looked all shiny and new. Then again, Drusilla had never been the type for torture. Sure she liked seeing people suffer but after a while one scream just sounded the same as all the others to her. She just liked the final act, the victim's death. But Spike enjoyed torture. Or at least he had and Drusilla knew when she got him back, it'd be like old times again. Him torturing and her watching: just how a family should operate. But if he didn't hurry up, she could easily find someone else to amuse her.  
  
Closing her eyes, Drusilla swayed with excitement. She had an idea. Concentrating as hard as she could, Drusilla implored to Spike with her mind. She knew he was somewhere in the city and sense she was his sire, he could feel it when she called out for him. She knew when he heard it he'd come.  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
"Spike!"  
  
Someone was calling to him as his thoughts swam like a surfer trapped in the undertow. At first he couldn't tell where the voice was or who it was but then it all made sense suddenly. The pain subsided as he heard someone else calling his name.  
  
"Spike!"  
  
He looked up at Anya who looked like she was on the verge of tears. Somehow he found himself on the ground.  
  
"You fainted o-or something equally unpleasant," she explained.  
  
He got up quickly and said, "I know where Drusilla and Faith are."  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
TBC 


	9. Fate

A/N: Yeah so I went with the obvious direction in that last chapter: it was Spike Anya met up with. But I figured you guys really wanted it that way. I am glad, though, that no one really knew for sure! Here's a brand spanking new chapter just for you guys. Enjoy!  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
Chapter Nine~  
  
"They're coming!" Drusilla squealed with the excitement of a little girl on Christmas.  
  
"Wow," said Kevin flatly. "You've only announced that a dozen times by now."  
  
"What is your name?" Drusilla asked softly as she walked up to Kevin and put a nail to his cheek.  
  
"K-Kevin," the vampire stuttered out as the red nail traced the bumps on his morphed face.  
  
"Kevin? Do you want to know something?" she whispered with a low and raspy voice. "You're nothing. Your friends are crabs in the sand. At the end of the night, I don't care if you're still. biting or just dust in the wind."  
  
She cackled at her own joke.  
  
"We may be nothing but you need us. What does that say about you?" Amelia challenged.  
  
"I don't need you. This is just how Spike would want it were he here. Anything to please him."  
  
Drusilla smiled at the fact that all the vampires there wanted to mutiny but know that if they tried, they'd be dust in an instant.  
  
She walked over to Faith, still smiling. The Slayer sneered at her and tugged at her chains despite the shooting pain in the arm Drusilla had stepped on.  
  
"Even with your brain-dead minions, you have no chance against a demon, a vampire, and the Slayer," Faith spat.  
  
Lowering her voice, Drusilla leaned in close to Faith's ear, "six against three? The Chariot isn't stopping for you."  
  
"I've had worse chances. Besides, fate, no pun intended, seems to be on my side lately."  
  
"You're chained up in a burnt up restaurant surrounded by vampires, fate isn't anywhere to be seen. She's probably too busy with cakes and fans to care. Besides, I already know the outcome of the battle."  
  
Drusilla looked Faith over and grabbed her hurt arm. Faith let out an accidental gasp as Drusilla whispered in her ear, "It doesn't look good for you, my wriggling worm."  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
"She's here, I can feel it," Spike said as he put his hand on the door to the vamps' lair.  
  
"Okay, so should we just rush them or sneak in through the back or-"  
  
"Hold on," Spike interrupted Anya, "there is no we. I'm going to go in there and try to reason with Drusilla."  
  
"Reason with that nutcase? You're more insane than she is."  
  
"Hey," Spike interjected defensively, "believe it or not, Drusilla and I use to be pretty hot and heavy."  
  
"I believe it."  
  
"And," he continued, ignoring her, "I'm the only one who may be able to talk her into avoiding a fight."  
  
Studying Spike carefully, Anya said, "but if you don't."  
  
"I'll give a signal and you can come in all gung-ho."  
  
"What will the signal be?"  
  
Spike thought a moment and replied, "I'll do a Celine and you'll come in and grab the closest vamp."  
  
"Alright, so I'll just wait out here until you scratch your nose, accomplishing nothing, and hope you don't get staked. Or become Drusilla's boy toy again," Anya said nervously.  
  
"Would that really trouble you, pet?" Spike asked with a satisfied smile and a suggestive raised brow. "If I became her boy toy?"  
  
"Well it would cause me to have many unpleasant images in my mind. Maybe even a slideshow," she said with distaste.  
  
"Hey, lets take a look at your track record, troll boinker."  
  
"I'm not the one who-"  
  
They heard a women gasp in pain from inside the nest. Quickly, they remembered why they were there.  
  
"I'm going in. Remember the signal," Spike said quickly. He put his hand on the doorknob but Anya put hers on top of it. He looked up at her eyes.  
  
"I'm tired of crying," Anya said somberly. "If you die. I'm not going to cry for you. It's going to be hard to do but after what I've been through. Just don't die," she pleaded, grasping his hands in hers. "Pretty please?"  
  
"Anya, I love you," Spike said without meaning to.  
  
Her face brightened and she whispered, "Say it again."  
  
"I love you so much, I-"  
  
Anya caught Spike's mouth with hers and they kissed passionately. He finally mustered his limited self-control and pulled away. She leaned against him, holding his body close.  
  
"I love you, Spike. I thought I'd never-"  
  
He stopped her words and said quickly, "I have to go. Faith."  
  
Anya pulled away, suppressing her emotion.  
  
"Go," she muttered, secretly wishing they could just leave Faith but knowing she'd feel guilty despite herself.  
  
Finding no more words, Spike kissed Anya quickly and let himself into the vampire nest.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Yeah?" Faith replied to Drusilla's taunting. "Well, your mo-"  
  
Suddenly the door flew open. Everyone turned to see Spike standing confidently in the doorframe.  
  
"What? No yelling 'surprise!' or throwing balloons?" He asked with disappointment.  
  
Drusilla hadn't actually told the vampires what to do when Spike arrived so most stood back, waiting for orders. But one jumped forward. Spike, quickly pulling a ready-made stake from his coat, took the vampire out in one swift movement.  
  
"Speaking of surprises," Faith said with annoyance, "I thought you were off playing White Knight for your demon lady."  
  
Spike shrugged. "It looked like I'd get more action here."  
  
"That's not surprising, seeing as how you're probably impo- ow!" Drusilla dug her nails into Faith's arm as she spoke. "Everyone keeps interrupting me!"  
  
"My dark love," Drusilla cooed as she stared at Spike with glazed eyes.  
  
"What a pet name- ow!" Faith was shut up again.  
  
With languid movements, Drusilla advanced towards Spike until she could reach out and took Spike's hand in hers.  
  
"I knew you'd come," she purred.  
  
"You know me so well," Spike said as he shifted uncomfortably. It occurred to him then that he should've thought of some sort of plan.  
  
Meanwhile, outside Anya was using all of her self-control she had, which wasn't much, to keep from breaking down the door to get that whore off her man.  
  
"So Drusilla," Spike said with a conversational air as he slipped his hand out of Drusilla's to walk around the room, "quite an operation you have going on here. This all for me?"  
  
"Of course," Drusilla murmured as she followed Spike like a dog.  
  
"I'm touched, really. But honestly, you shouldn't have."  
  
"You better know what you're doing," Faith hissed to Spike so only he could hear.  
  
"No, I had to," Drusilla insisted, "now we can find Angel and be a family again!"  
  
"Angel?" Spike asked sharply. "Why do we need that wanker? We did just fine without him after he got all souled up."  
  
"But I want both of my men," Drusilla whined. She wrapped her arms around Spike and began whimpering.  
  
Drusilla's minions, who still weren't sure what they were supposed to do, exchanged looks, waiting for orders.  
  
"It's not gonna work, Dru," Spike said firmly.  
  
"But." she pleaded in a high nasal voice.  
  
"You heard the man," Faith interjected, "so why don't you go off and find you 'daddy' and leave us alone."  
  
Drusilla's face soured as she walked to Faith. With a quick movement, she slashed across Faith's face with her nails but Spike grabbed her arm before she could do anymore.  
  
"Bitch!" Faith screamed and strained against her chains.  
  
"Now ladies," Spike quickly intervened and positioned himself between the two angry females. "Play nice."  
  
A glinting piece of metal caught Faith's eye as Spike wiggled it behind his back. While everyone was cautiously studying Drusilla, Faith quickly grabbed the metal Spike was offering and set to work on picking the lock on her chains.  
  
"Why are you defending her?" Drusilla questioned.  
  
"Defending? I wouldn't call it that," Spike stalled. "I just. uh. you know, want to save her till the moment's right, love, so we can share her."  
  
Smiling devilishly, Drusilla played with Spike's ear while murmuring, "my sweet, you always know what's best."  
  
Leaning forward, she slowly licked up Spike's neck until she reached his ear, which she sucked softly. While this use to turn Spike on to no end, he instead pulled away impulsively. He didn't realize what he'd done until he was standing against a wall with Drusilla staring daggers at him.  
  
"You," she hissed at her ex-lover. "What happened to you?"  
  
As Drusilla slowly cornered Spike, Faith shook off her chains and ran towards the enraged vampire. But before Faith could even lift a stake, Drusilla shoved her away like an annoying fly into a pile of boxes. Some of the minions grabbed Faith before she could regain herself.  
  
Unfazed by the attack, Drusilla approached Spike and put a delicate hand on his chest, pinning him to the wall. Prepared for the worst, Spike held his non-existent breath. Curiously, Drusilla didn't decapitate him right then and there. Instead she quickly sniffed the length of his body. Her face twisted in disgust as she quickly removed her hand from his chest, recoiling.  
  
"You reek of soul."  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
TBC 


	10. Hopeless

A/N: Sorry for the long wait, guys. I've been fighting with my muse. She's a hair puller. I finally got this chapter done but it's not really worth the wait. Sorry. I'll try to make up for it by posting the next chapter soon!  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
Chapter Ten~  
  
Anya was getting very impatient. She hadn't actually thought Spike's plan to talk Drusilla into backing down would work. She figured he'd be in there for a minute tops and then be frantically scratching his nose. Instead, Spike seemed to be feeling awfully chatty. Maybe he was recalling old times with Drusilla. Remembering the good old days. Holding hands. Getting very comfortable. Not that Anya was jealous. She just found Spike; that old nutcase had her chance already. Besides, Anya remembered, Spike had a soul now. He didn't act like he did but every time she was near him she could sense it. She was the one who told Buffy about it without Spike knowing. Of course Buffy didn't believe it. Spike acted the same as he had without a soul. He didn't get all broody and angelic. He said that he was sorry for all he'd done but brooding about it wouldn't help. Besides, it was the demon in him who killed people, not him, he argued. It took a long time for Buffy to accept that. She probably didn't until Jupeille came to town, Anya thought.  
  
So, Anya reasoned, souled Spike wouldn't take Drusilla back. Unless.  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
"Do you want me to get rid of it for you?" Drusilla purred and slid her hand down Spike's body.  
  
"Whoa now," Spike jumped back when her hand slid a little too low. But Drusilla kept a firm grip on him.  
  
"Whore!"  
  
Everyone turned quickly to see an equally surprised Anya standing with her hands over her mouth in the window.  
  
"Oh, bullocks," Spike muttered.  
  
"Bring her here," Drusilla ordered and the two closest minions to the door started out.  
  
"Anya, get out of here!" Spike shouted.  
  
But the minions grabbed her before she could regain her senses and run away. In a way, though, Anya was glad she finally had something to do. Sure, playing damsel in distress wasn't exactly what she would've picked but she'd get a chance to turn that around, she was sure.  
  
"That's your demon lover?" Faith scoffed as Anya was dragged into the restaurant. "I'm guessing she's new to the concept of being covert."  
  
"Hey missy, I'm not the one tied to a pole," Anya returned.  
  
"Why? Who is?" Faith asked as she lifted up her arms and let the chains drop from them.  
  
Two vampires, who were desperate to do something, rushed Faith. She was weaponless but she easily knocked the vampires to the ground. But as she searched for something to use as a stake to finish them off, Drusilla grabbed Faith's arm and turned the Slayer so she could be face to face with the vampire.  
  
"Look at me, dearie," Drusilla purred and stared at Faith. "Be in my eyes."  
  
"Faith, don't!" Spike shouted. He ran up behind Drusilla and pushed her away from the Slayer. "Get out of here."  
  
"What's wrong with you, Spike?" Drusilla hissed after she regained herself. "You're covered with filth."  
  
"Speak for yourself," Spike countered.  
  
"Just because you have a soul now doesn't mean you're good," Drusilla continued.  
  
"Look, if you have anything important to say, skip the fluff. I've heard it all before," Spike said impatiently.  
  
"You know you want it all back, you know you want it to be simple again."  
  
"It's not ever going to be simple again. What I want is something you can't give me."  
  
"How do you know that?"  
  
Drusilla's dark form suddenly melted away to reveal a sultry Anya in front of Spike's eyes.  
  
"It's not the same," Spike insisted as Drusilla in her new form slinked towards him.  
  
"But it can be. It can be however you want it."  
  
Drusilla placed a hand on Spike's chest and looked up at him, her deep brown eyes gleaming up at him with innocence. The illusion was incredible and Spike faltered as he stared down at the hopeful face imploring him. He was forgetting everything except the look in Drusilla's eyes, even the fact that the real Anya was standing in the same room.  
  
"Just close your eyes," Anya's voice murmured. "I can make it simple again, I can make it better."  
  
The words melted through Spike's mind and wiped away any of his knowledge that the Anya standing before him wasn't the real one. As Spike's eyes closed and his body leaned forward, Anya cried, "Spike!"  
  
His eyes snapped open and he pushed Drusilla, now in her proper form, away from him. Anya struggled briefly then pushed the two vampires holding her away.  
  
"Anya, I." Spike stammered.  
  
"What did I tell you about becoming her boy toy again?" The outraged demon, who hadn't seen Drusilla's illusion, scolded  
  
"No, see, she was you and-"  
  
"See what your life will be like with her?" Drusilla asked darkly from behind Anya's shoulder.  
  
While all this was occurring, Faith stood dazed. She had looked into Drusilla's eyes.  
  
"But not now." Spike's words played in Faith's mind. What attachment did she have to Spike? None. Why should she care if he ended up in a dustpan? She shouldn't. He was just a vampire. A murdering vampire.  
  
"I have a soul now, Drusilla. It's different and it will always be different," Spike said.  
  
"It'll be better," Drusilla insisted.  
  
Anya stared at Spike and contemplated what to do. Two vampires, poised for action and preventing her from attacking Drusilla, stood near her. She wished Faith would do something. But Faith had a curious glint in her eye that worried Anya. It seemed as if Faith could betray them in a heartbeat if she felt like it. Anya knew she had to do something.  
  
Turning quickly, she found a piece of discarded wood nearby and ran to get it. But before she took three steps, the remaining vampires lunged at her, tackling her to the ground with a gasp of pain from Anya as she landed in a painful heap on her arm.  
  
Drusilla didn't even flinch in acknowledgement to this but Spike called out Anya's name. He shook Drusilla off of him and ran towards Anya but Drusilla grabbed his arm and threw him in a heap into a corner. He looked at her, astonished at her strength. While Drusilla returned his gaze, Faith snapped back to the present. She ran at Drusilla and they struggled briefly. Just as Spike stood up to intervene, Drusilla knocked Faith into the floor. Faith lay there, motionless. Spike attempted to run to her but Drusilla held him back.  
  
"When did you get so strong?" Spike demanded.  
  
"I believe it was when Angel put his pointy teeth around my white virgin neck."  
  
"But you seem so much stronger since I last saw you."  
  
"It has been a long time since then. The dropping of the sun brings many changes."  
  
"And what exactly were these changes?"  
  
Drusilla laughed and said, "your women are broken and you ask of my health."  
  
Spike averted her gaze.  
  
"Does this situation look familiar?" Drusilla asked as she motioned indifferently to the two other women.  
  
She placed her hands on the side of Spike's head.  
  
"This is what you'll have with either of them. Death. Death again. Just like before."  
  
"No." Spike protested weakly but unwelcome images already began to appear before him.  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
TBC 


	11. Mind Tricks

A/N: I don't actually have anything to say here but I thought I'd keep with tradition. Uh. well. Just so you know, I hate writing end-character lines and dialogues but I really tried. And Drusilla is harder to write for than I thought before I started writing this. You've probably noticed that throughout this. But just imagine Juliet Landau saying these lines and it seems better. The story is almost over so enjoy!  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
Chapter Eleven~  
  
It looked like there was just an apocalypse. Considering there almost was, it made sense.  
  
Spike was too tired to take in any of it. Everything was just ruin to him. Familiar ruin. Dust, broken wood, fallen brick, bloody bodies all blurred together from the tears clouding Spike's eyes. He forced them back and attempted to survey the damage, hoping to find something, anything.  
  
Dead bodies were mingled in with piles of wreckage. They were mostly demons, Jupeille's minions, whose faces were even more twisted and inhuman than before. Spike shut his eyes against the bodies that weren't demons. Giles, Willow, Xander. While they'd never really fostered any real affection for Spike and visa versa, there had been growing respect between them for the last few months. Willow had always been the nicest and most open-minded of her friends. And Spike always had a certain degree of respect for Giles considering everything the Watcher had to put up with. Xander had always hated him and Spike wasn't exactly heart-broken over it. But since the chip and that dream, he hadn't really been wishing death upon the sarcastic sidekick. Now they were all the same. They were just bodies.  
  
Spike didn't want to look at the sight before him anymore. He didn't want to be apart of it. But something inside him ached for the closure. His halfheartedly searched for what he felt was inevitable to find. Then he saw a fragile hand grasping a pile of rubble. He forced himself to walk over to the hand and was surprised to see the body it belonged to was rising and falling slowly with life.  
  
He fell on his knees and lifted the small bruised body up to cradle her gently in his arms. Her greens eyes glowed up at him weakly and sadly.  
  
"I've failed them." Buffy murmured.  
  
Spike shook his head furiously and insisted, "no, no."  
  
"They're all dead and it's my fault," she said, her soft voice trembling as tears flooded her eyes.  
  
Stroking a tear from her cheek, Spike said, "you tried. Jupeille is dead and so are most of his minions."  
  
"But it doesn't matter now. Now that they're. I'm sorry."  
  
Buffy burst into sobs, her usually strong body heaving violently. Spike was afraid she'd break from her own tears. He'd rarely seen Buffy look her true size, small. Usually he only saw her the way she wanted to be seen, as the strong Slayer. But now she looked like just a young girl who'd been through too much for her petite frame to take. She was beautiful.  
  
"No, it's okay," Spike said softly.  
  
This was the first time she'd ever let him hold her.  
  
"Dawn," Buffy said with sudden force, "where's Dawn?"  
  
Spike glanced away from her.  
  
"I tried. but the demons got to the house before me."  
  
"There were too many," Buffy murmured.  
  
Spike nodded as he looked into her eyes. She sobbed again but Spike held her close.  
  
"I tried," she said, "I really tried."  
  
"They know."  
  
She looked up at him suddenly, her cheeks tear stained.  
  
"Remember the deal. Remember the deal and come back."  
  
"Buffy, there's no one."  
  
"Come back."  
  
"Of course, luv."  
  
There was silence as Buffy stared out across the ruin and Spike turned his teary eyes skyward.  
  
"I tried." Buffy insisted again weakly.  
  
Spike shut his eyes but one tear escaped down his cheek. After he felt her go limp in his arms, he burst into tears and cradled her lifeless body to him weakly.  
  
"I tried too."  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
"You see?" Drusilla asked with a leer. "What it'll be like?"  
  
"Yes." Spike admitted softly, looking to his feet, "I see perfectly."  
  
Spike raised his head and looked into Drusilla's eyes. She smiled. He leaned forward slightly, eyes closed. As she tilted her head up to him, he grabbed her shoulders and shoved her down onto the ground.  
  
"I'm willing to risk it," Spike said, pulling a stake from his coat.  
  
Drusilla glared up at Spike, her amber eyes blazing with anger. Spike ignored her and went to check Faith. She was breathing.  
  
"Stupid dog," she hissed and regained her footing, "Look how long it's taken you to get over the Slayer."  
  
"See, you're automatically jumping to the worst case scenario. Shame, shame, Dru," Spike scolded, "I like to look on the sunny side of life and all that. Sure, maybe I'll get staked tomorrow or Anya will be. maimed by angry villagers."  
  
"Hey!" Anya cried indignantly.  
  
"Sorry, pet, just an example," Spike apologized. "What I'm trying to say is that I just finally got it. I've been moping around for a while, with good reason of course. But you've made me see something, Dru. I'm gonna live for a long time, eternity, weather permitting, and when I think about it, I can't spend all that time moping around. Instead, I think I'll spend it living. With Anya." He gave his lover a quick smile. "Expiration dates be damned."  
  
Anya shrugged the two vampires off of her and ran to Spike. After giving him a quick kiss, she said, "that was almost touching."  
  
"I try," Spike said, linking his free arm around Anya who stuck her tongue out at Drusilla.  
  
"What are you going to do now, stake me?" Drusilla mocked.  
  
Studying the stake in his hand, Spike considered his options. Drusilla was his sire and first lover. But was that reason enough to let her go?  
  
This was taking too long. Drusilla was actually starting to think Spike would try to stake her. Her Spike, the man she'd gone through all of this trouble for. Now he was going to stake her- or at least try to- and go off and fight evil with his peppy new demon girlfriend. Drusilla was considering staking him to put him out of his potential misery.  
  
"Minions!" Drusilla shrieked.  
  
Accordingly, the few remaining minions attacked Spike and Anya. With ease, Spike flipped the first, staked it, grabbed another, punched and staked it too. Anya kicked one off of her, which Spike took care of, and staked another.  
  
'Yeah,' Spike thought, 'this feels good.'  
  
"No, no, no!" Drusilla cried and stomped her foot like a bratty little girl. "You're not playing right. The ace of cups doesn't like being contradicted."  
  
"Oh please," Anya groaned, "do you even know what you're saying?"  
  
Spike smirked.  
  
"I don't need you anyway. Daddy will be able to kiss my knee and make the hurt leave," Drusilla said.  
  
"Fine then. Send the Poofter my warmest wishes," Spike replied.  
  
"You're not going to kill her?" Anya questioned him.  
  
Spike studied his sire again and replied, "I just can't."  
  
Anya nodded and rested her head on his shoulder.  
  
"The stars may paint pretty pictures but someday they will lead you through a tunnel," Drusilla warned before she stormed out of the restaurant, head held high.  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
TBC 


	12. Places in Time

A/N: So here it is: the Final Chapter. Okay, besides the epilogue but. oh well. Anyway, I'm sorry it took so long. I've been super busy and plus it is the final chapter; I had to get in what last surprises I could. Enjoy!  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Chapter Twelve~  
  
The soft light of dawn crept across the sheets, turning them a soft gray. Deep rifts of black formed in flawless plain when the body beneath the sheets shifted slightly.  
  
"Faith's going to be fine, Spike," Anya said, resting a hand on his shoulder, "just like that nice doctor said earlier.  
  
They were both surprised to find a hospital so easily. Of course, by hospital that meant a few cots in various rooms, even fewer doctors, and barely any medical supplies. But it was pretty nice as far as the hospitals went those days. Crowded but nice. The doctors found a cot for the unconscious Faith pretty quickly. Then after a brief examination, the doctor left Spike and Anya in the small room filled with sleeping people.  
  
"I know," Spike muttered as Anya turned down the shades, "but I still feel guilty."  
  
"If it weren't for you, Faith wouldn't just need a few hours of rest," Anya pointed out.  
  
She settled onto Spike's lap and slipped an arm around him and ran her fingers up and down his back. His gaze shifted from Faith to Anya's eyes and a half smile spread across his face.  
  
"We're just both very tense right now," Anya said softly and kissed Spike lightly behind his ear.  
  
"Tense." Spike agreed, his voice husky.  
  
"I bet there are some empty cots somewhere where we could-"  
  
Spike cut her off by catching her mouth with his. They kissed long and hard. They were so absorbed in each other that they didn't even hear the door open.  
  
"There's a welcoming sight."  
  
Spike pulled his hand out of Anya's shirt and she reached back to re- hook her bra.  
  
"Have you ever heard of-" Spike turned around and stopped abruptly. He attempted to regain himself and think of something witty to say but Anya spoke first.  
  
"Don't I know you?"  
  
"Duh, we only hung out in high school," replied one of the new arrivals.  
  
"Oh right, the wish chick," Anya observed with narrowed eyes.  
  
"Yeah, I guess," Cordelia said. "Hey Spike, fancy seeing you here."  
  
Spike's mouth opened then closed again. Then he finally said, "Hello Cordelia, Angel."  
  
His grand sire nodded in recognition.  
  
It wasn't until now that Spike noticed that Cordelia was leaning on Angel as if she couldn't stand on her own. She also had a poorly covered scar running diagonally down her chest.  
  
"How's Faith?" Angel broke his stony silence to say.  
  
Spike motioned to the sleeping form and Anya said, "They said she'd be fine enough to take home after some rest. I think they just don't want us taking up one of their cots."  
  
Angel walked closer to Faith. Cordelia limped alongside him. With a soft, concerned gaze, Angel studied the Slayer. Finally, after a moment of silence, Angel reached down and ran his fingers through her hair.  
  
"So what are you guys doing here?" Anya finally asked the question Spike had wanted to ask.  
  
"Let's go out into the hall," Angel said when he noticed a few of the patients stirring in the cots near them.  
  
When they'd all filed out into the hall, they followed Angel to the small and empty waiting room. Angel helped Cordelia into a chair, something, Spike thought, that the Cordelia he'd known would be too proud to allow. Anya and Spike settled onto the couch across from them.  
  
"So?" Anya prodded after a moment.  
  
Cordelia sighed and said, "I had a vision."  
  
"About Faith?" Spike questioned.  
  
"About Drusilla," Cordelia said. "And I could tell it was in New York. Faith was in it too and she was in danger."  
  
"Brilliant timing," Spike muttered.  
  
"We were all the way across the country," Angel said angrily.  
  
"So why are you two here?" Cordelia intervened quickly.  
  
"Long story," Spike muttered.  
  
"Did you come here together or." Cordelia prompted.  
  
"Oh, no," Anya answered, "We had extremely favorable luck."  
  
"Oh, cool," Cordelia said dully.  
  
They all shifted uncomfortably in the silence. It seemed like they should have a million things to say but couldn't think of one. Anya wasn't a fan of silence but also didn't know what to say so she occupied herself by studying the affectionate dedication Angel and Cordelia had for each other. It appeared to her that while they didn't really have a physical relationship, they cared about each other steadfastly. Anya had gotten good at reading people in her days as a demon. She could point out a couple on the verge of a break-up in a heartbeat.  
  
"So, uh, did you have a vision before the Final Battle?" Spike meant for it to sound casual but it came out like an accusation.  
  
Cordelia seemed sheepish but before Angel could stand up for her, she said, "yes but we couldn't help. There was no way."  
  
"Were there demons in Los Angeles also?" Anya asked.  
  
Averting her gaze, Cordelia nodded softly. When Spike got another look at her scar, he felt ashamed. She probably got that around the same time of the Final Battle.  
  
"We went to Sunnydale as soon as we could but everyone was gone." Angel stopped abruptly. It was obvious he'd amended the last word just before he said it.  
  
"Did anyone else survive?" Anya asked.  
  
"Wesley is finding a hotel right now," Cordelia answered the question in the easiest way.  
  
"You probably won't be needing a hotel," Spike said. "If your vision didn't show it, Drusilla is after you too, Angel."  
  
"But she left the city or at least we didn't see her at the nest," Angel protested.  
  
"Wait, if you went to the vampire nest, how did you end up here?" Anya wondered aloud.  
  
"I had another vision when we got there and so we rushed here," Cordelia answered.  
  
"Did you see the fight or just the outcome?" Spike asked.  
  
"The outcome," Angel answered for her. "So Drusilla is alive?"  
  
"And after her Daddy," Spike informed them. "I think we're getting out of here as soon as we can. You guys probably shouldn't stay and sightsee either."  
  
"And don't go back to. wherever your former residence was," Anya added.  
  
"We didn't really have one," Angel said.  
  
"We were kinda floaters," Cordelia added.  
  
"Seems to be a popular occupation," Spike muttered.  
  
"We do what we can," Cordelia said.  
  
"But somehow it never seems like enough," Angel said mostly to himself.  
  
Again they all knew they had so many things to say or ask but couldn't think of what. Finally, a nurse came and broke the awkward silence.  
  
"Excuse me," she said to Anya and Spike, "your friend Faith is awake and asking for you."  
  
"Thank you," Spike mumbled.  
  
"Just try to keep the volume down when you're in her room," the nurse reminded them.  
  
"Of course."  
  
After the nurse had gone, Anya and Spike followed by Cordelia and Angel returned to Faith's room.  
  
"Thank god you're here, Spike! You gotta convince those doctors that I heal really quickly and shouldn't have to stay cooped up here so-"  
  
Like Spike had, Faith became speechless when she noticed Angel looming behind the others.  
  
"Hello Faith," Angel said.  
  
"So you are alive," she murmured.  
  
"Yup," Cordelia chimed in, "for once Drusilla knew what she was talking about."  
  
"But how did you-"  
  
"How are you feeling?" Angel cut Faith off and kneeled down beside her cot.  
  
"You know me, five by five," Faith said with a smile. "When did you get here?"  
  
"Just a little while ago," Angel informed her. "Cordelia had a vision about you being in trouble so we came."  
  
"Aw, for me? You shouldn't have," Faith smiled, "but it's pretty cool you did. What a crazy reunion, huh?"  
  
"And it's all because of Drusilla," Cordelia observed.  
  
"And she's not even apart of it. She would be so disappointed," Spike added.  
  
"Speaking of the insanely departed, shouldn't we be hightailing it out of here before she catches on?" Faith questioned.  
  
"Probably," Spike agreed, "Anya and I will go sign you out while you guys get to catch up."  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Now are you sure, sir, that you want to take her out of here so soon?" the nurse at the counter questioned with wide eyes.  
  
"The doctor said she only had to stay a few hours," Spike pointed out.  
  
"Well by that I'm sure he meant four or five hours not just one-"  
  
"And a half," Spike added. "You don't know our little Faith; she's as strong as an ox and persistent as hell when it comes to getting her way."  
  
"I'm still not so sure."  
  
"Lady, you don't want to incur his," Anya pointed to Spike, "wrath, do you? Cause believe me, as compact as he may look, he is very well muscled."  
  
Spike and Anya smiled brightly at the frightened nurse.  
  
"Here's the release, just sign here and you can take Faith out of here right now," the nurse said hurriedly.  
  
"Dandy," Spike said as he laid some money down on the counter. "Thank you for your services."  
  
When they returned to Faith's room, they found Faith already out of bed and fully dressed.  
  
"We ready to go?" Faith asked impatiently.  
  
"We had to threaten the counter lady but she finally said we could take you home," Anya said cheerfully.  
  
Angel shoot Spike a dark look.  
  
"Speaking of home," Faith started as they filed out of her room, "I want to go with Angel, Cordelia, and Wesley. They already said I could."  
  
She sounded like a teenager begging to sleepover at her friend's house. It made Spike realize that he hadn't really thought about what would happen to Faith, whether she would stay with him and Anya or not.  
  
"That's fine," Spike said.  
  
Faith smiled and looked at Angel who was helping Cordelia through the hospital doors. He carefully stood out of the sunlight though as Cordelia went outside and greeted Wesley who'd just arrived.  
  
"That was fast," Wesley observed.  
  
"Anya and Spike threatened the nurse," Cordelia informed him as she fished a blanket out of the car's backseat.  
  
"Who?" Wesley asked.  
  
"It's a long story."  
  
Wesley nodded and followed Cordelia inside.  
  
"There's been a change of plans," she said as Wesley greeted everyone. "Spike says that Drusilla is after Angel as well so we aren't going to need a hotel. Oh, and Faith is joining us."  
  
Faith's broad smile made her ex-watcher fall back into his old British ways and blush slightly  
  
"Let's skip the pleasantries for now," Cordelia said quickly. "We should take Anya and Spike back to. wherever first and then get out of here as quickly as possible."  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
TBC 


	13. Epilogue

A/N: So this is it. Thank you all so much for sticking with me. I hope you've enjoyed it! Oh and I'm sorry but there won't be any steamy love scenes for your enjoyment. I tried to work one in but it didn't really fit. I hope you enjoyed the story anyway!  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Epilogue~  
  
"This seems hauntingly familiar."  
  
Spike reached for Anya's hand and pulled it to his lips. The expression of impatience didn't fade from her face.  
  
"I'm just saying. We were plenty happy on our own these past few years, why did we have to come back here?"  
  
She lifted her arm up and motioned despondently at the town below them. It looked like it had five years ago. Desolate.  
  
"We made a promise," Spike replied simply.  
  
"I have to remember to stop making those," Anya mumbled.  
  
"Hey now, look where our last promised rendezvous got us."  
  
"In the sac?"  
  
"Exactly."  
  
They stood poised on that familiar cliff, waiting for the other one to take the first step back into Sunnydale. Anya and Spike both knew they would've come back there eventually, out of habit; that's why they decided it might as well be the meeting place, yet again.  
  
"I still don't see why it's so imperative we congregate with Angel and the rest of them again. None of them seemed to talkative the last time we met them," Anya complained.  
  
"They are about the only people we know on this crazy rock we call Earth," Spike pointed out.  
  
"Then why didn't we decide to travel with them after New York, like they offered, instead of making a plan with them to meet here after a few more years."  
  
"Just because they're some of our few acquaintances, doesn't mean I like 'em. Besides, we've had much more fun without them."  
  
Anya smiled up at Spike.  
  
"The group slaying business can be. interesting," Spike added, "but I've never been one for crowds."  
  
"I'm witness to that."  
  
"So how do you think they've been doing?" Spike said after a pause.  
  
"I don't know. We'll find out soon enough I assume."  
  
Shifting on their feet, they stared out at the flickering lights below them. It didn't look promising down there.  
  
"I guess we should go down there and meet Faith and them, right?" Spike asked hesitantly.  
  
"Probably," Anya responded. "Ready to go?"  
  
After a moment of silence, Anya took Spike's hand. He gazed down at her in the crush of the dark, velvet sky. Stars glittered in her eyes as Spike leaned down and kissed her, his fingers lingering across her smooth skin. They felt complete.  
  
"Now I am."  
  
~The End~ 


End file.
